Thursday #writephoto prompt:  Inside-out

“Who’d a thought I’d be goin’ to a black an’ white ball?  All them senators dancin’ with their wives…or husbands, an’ the president, too!” I hooted at my son.

“Mother…please!” he whispered sharply.

I hain’t seen that shade of red on your face since you was a boy.”

Six feet tall and handsome as his daddy, he pulled me to the side and said, “I’ve had the tickets to this event for 2 months.  Celeste left me a month ago.  Mother, she sent her ticket to you and said it was from me as a joke.”

“Why’s everyone wearin’ black an’ white?”

“Mother, you’re not stupid or I wouldn’t be a professor,” he grumbled.

“If you was smart, you would’ve stayed outta politics,” I said.  “Ain’t no way a English lit major’s gonna stand toe to toe with these guys.”

“Oh no,” he whispered.  “That’s Lena from…”

“Corrupt News Network.  I know,”  I said, smiling at her.  “She looks like a black swan glidin’ this way.”

“Let me do the talking, mother.”

Lena stopped in front of my son, snickered at me, and said, “Who’s the gargoyle?”

“You,” I smiled.

“Dr. Holcomb?” she asked my son. “Is this woman related to you?”

“This party hain’t nothin’ but a bunch a losers,” I said, turning to walk away.

“Wait!” Lena ordered, as if she owned the place.

I felt a woman’s hand on my arm. That just wasn’t gonna fly.

But she did.

Source: #writephoto : gargoyle